Long-distance transport of horses — for slaughter, sale, competition, or export — causes significant welfare problems. Understanding the stressors involved helps advocates push for meaningful reform.
Horse transport welfare sits at the intersection of trade, agriculture, and animal welfare law. The welfare costs of long-distance transport are well-documented: stress hormones spike, immune function is compromised, respiratory disease risk rises, and horses arriving after multi-day journeys are exhausted and immunocompromised. The case for replacing live animal transport with carcass transport (transporting meat rather than living animals) is strong from a welfare perspective and is supported by a growing coalition of veterinarians and welfare scientists. Reform is slow because of economic interests, but the direction of travel in EU policy is encouraging.